Battleship and protector



Nov. 24-, 1936. RUGGIER] 2,062,252

B ATTLESHIP AND PROTECTOR Filed Sept. 13, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 NOV. 24, 1936. RUGGIERI v 2,062,252

BATTLESHIP AND PROTECTOR Filed Sept. 13, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Nov. 24, 1936 UN-i-TED STATES PATENT OFFICE BATTLESHIP AND PROTECTOR Frank Ruggieri, Brooklyn, N. Y. Application September 13,1935, Serial No. 40,506 2Claims. (o1.114 240) This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in battle ships and protectors. .The' primary object of the invention is to provide a battle ship and protector therefor, the 5 latter being-in the formof a net, screen or reticulated structure surrounding thesides and hull of the battle ship and being adjustable toward and away from the hull of the battle ship for the purpose of being moved inwardly or retracted when the battle ship is anchored in a narrow pier and adapted for movement outwardly of the hull of the battle ship when in open water for full protection from torpedoes, submarines and other methods of attack. A further object of the invention is to provide a battle ship protector of the foregoing character with the protector comprising upper and lower rails with a reticulated structure therebetween and rods connecting the rails tolongitudinal shafts within the ship that are adapted to be shifted transversely of the ship by motor operated screw devices.

With the above and other objects in View that will become apparent as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel form, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, shown in the accompanying drawings and claimed.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a fragmentary side elevational view of a battle ship constructed in accordance with the present invention and showing the protector surrounding the hull of the ship;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary top plan view showing the protectors in extended position and the motor operated shaft attached thereto for effecting inward and outward movement of the protector relative to the ship hull;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary cross-sectional View 40 showing the motor operated screw devices for moving the protector inwardly and outwardly of the ship and the illuminated deck walk overlying the protector; and

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 45 44 of Figure 3, showing the chain drive connection between the screw operated devices for effecting movement of the protector.

The protector while of general application to ships of various types is illustrated as associated 50 with a battle ship designated in general by the reference character l9 that is equipped with any number of guns ll desired. A deck walk I2 is located at each side of the battle ship Ill, being illuminated as at l3 and is provided with a guard 55 rail I4. The deck walks l2 are located at the extreme sides of the battle ship to facilitateaccess to the life boats and for leaving the ship for other purposes. The protector for the battle ship encloses the hull thereof and comprises upper and lower frame rails i5 and I6 respectively between which nets or screens I? extend, the screen being of triple thickness between the points 18 as shown in Figure l and of double thickness to the point IS with the remainder of the protector between the points I9 1 and the bow and stern of the battle ship being of single thickness, as shown at 20. It is to be understood that the screens l'l may be of the desired thickness and mesh to provide proper protection for the battle ship against submarine and other 15 methods of attack and if desired the screens may be one-half or three-quarter inch thick, more or less, and of appropriate mesh such as sixteen inch mesh if desired.

As shown more clearly in Figure 2, the upper and lower rails l5 and 16 of the protector frame are attached by a rigid rod 2| to the longitudinal shafts 22 and 23 respectively aligned with the upper and lower rails l5 and. I6 and located within the battle ship l0. Flexible ropes or cables 24 25 extend between the protector and hull of the battle ship for limiting outward movement of the protector relative to the battle ship.

The mechanism for moving the protector" at each side of the battle ship toward and away 30 from the same is shown more clearly in Figures 3 and 4 and includes internally threaded tubular guards 25 fixed at their outer ends to the rails l5 and i6 and slidably extending through the hull of the ship 10 for attachment to the 35 adjacent shafts 22 or 23. Any number of motors or engines 26 may be provided for shifting the. shafts 22 and 23, the motor 26 being of tandem type with the lower drive shaft 21 projecting from opposite sides and formed into a screw shank 28 that has threaded engagement with the internally threaded tubular rods 25 associated with the lower rails l6 of the protector and the lower shaft 23. A sprocket wheel 29 is fixed to each shaft 21 and is directly beneath a superposed sprocket wheel 30 that is fixed to a screw shaft 3| having a bearing 32 in the adjacent upper end of an engine section 26 with the other end of the screw shaft 3! threading into the internally threaded tubular rod 25 associated with the upper protector rail l5 and upper shaft 22. Communication between the sprocket wheels 29 and 30 is effected by enclosing sprocket chains 33. Operation of the screw shafts 28 and 3| effects inward and outward movement of the shafts 22 and 23 in directions transversely of the battle ship for moving the protector toward and away from the hull of the battleship. The protector is positively shifted into its different positions, the flexible ropes or cables 24 limiting outward movement thereof and should it be necessary when docking the battleship, the protectors may be moved inwardly toward the hull of the battleship for reducing the over-all beam measurement.

From the above detailed description of the invention, it is believed that the construction and operation thereof will at once be apparent and while there is herein shown and described the preferred embodiment of the invention, it is nevertheless to be understood that minor changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

I claim:

1. Means for protecting the hull of a battleship comprising a screen frame at each side of the ship, shafts extending longitudinally of the ship and interiorly thereof respectively adjacent opposite sides of the ship, rigid rods connecting the screen frames to the shafts, screw.

devices associated with the frames for moving them towards and away from the ship, motors for operating the screw devices, the frame including upper and lower rails and the screw devices including internally threaded upper and lower tubular rods connecting the rails to the adjacent shafts, screws threaded into the tubular rods, bearings at the upper ends of the motors for the upper screws, the lower screws being operated by the motors and sprocket chain drive connections between the upper and.- lower screws.

2. Means for protecting the hull of a battleship comprising a screen frame at each side of the ship, shafts extending longitudinally of the ship and interiorly thereof respectively adjacent opposite sides of the ship, rigid rods connecting the screen frames to the shafts, screw devices associated with the frames for moving them towards and away from the ship, motors for operating the screw devices, the frame including upper and lower rails and the screw devices including internally threaded tubular rods connecting the rails to the adjacent shafts and screws threaded into the tubular rods and operated by the motors, and a sprocket chain drive between the upper and. lower screw devices.

FRANK RUGGIERI. 

